Danny Tarkanian and the Armenian vote

The U.S. Senate candidacy of a Nevadan is making news in Armenian-American circles.

Danny Tankanian is one of three citizens of Armenian descent who are running against incumbent members of Congress, according to the Armenian Reporter, based in Paramus. N.J.

Tarkanian, little known in Northern Nevada, is a prominent Clark County resident who is running against U.S. Sen. Harry Reid.

“Son of the nationally renowned basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian, Danny Tarkanian previously ran for the Nevada State Senate in 2004 and Nevada Secretary of State in 2006, both times unsuccessfully,” the newspaper reported. “In the latter run he received votes of more than 230,000 Nevadans. Both incumbent Nevada senators—Democrat Reid and Republican [John] Ensign—have been supportive of Armenian-American issues.”

A Mason-Dixon survey last weekend showed Tarkanian leading Reid by 49 percent to 38 percent in Nevada.